Category: Giveaway

Today, I bring you another fabulous giveaway, along with a wool applique tutorial. About a week ago, I received a beautiful bundle of hand dyed wool in the mail from Quilting Acres Shop. Along with that, Erinn sent me a piece of gray hand dyed wool to use on one of my wool applique projects. And can I just say, the hand dyed wool that she sent me was the prettiest wool I have ever seen. The colors are magnificent, and the wool is super soft and easy to work with. This wool is of the highest quality! In fact, I really don’t want to give it away. Do you mind if I leave a comment, “heart” Erinn’s shop, and subscribe to my own newsletter, so that I too can have a chance to win?

Here’s a little bit of information about Erinn’s shop, “Welcome to Quilting Acres Shop. Here you will find hand dyed wool that is exceptionally soft to work with. I start with finding beautiful wools that I can then over-dye, felt, and create something wonderful with. I dye my wool in stainless steel pots (mostly at nap time) and wash each piece in an earth friendly, fragrance free soap. These wools are perfect for rug hooking, quilting, needle arts, wool applique, and many other craft projects.”

Wool Applique Tutorial:

Erinn is exactly right, these wools are perfect for wool applique! Before I get to the tutorial part of this post, first let me show you a few examples of projects I’ve made in the past using wool applique:

So you might be wondering how wool applique is done. Really it’s quite simple. First you need to draw out the shape of what it is you want to create using the wool. I’m going to create a couch in this tutorial. Cut it out, and use this as your template:

Next, you need to iron on a piece of heat bond, a little bit bigger than your template from the previous step. Iron it onto the back of your felt, trace your template shape as a mirror image (otherwise the image will be reversed), and then cut it out. Position the wool piece, glue side down, and iron it onto a fabric surface using the directions on the heat bond package:

Next, using a washable fabric pencil, draw in certain details that you want to show using machine embroidery:

Lastly, sew these lines using either hand or machine embroidery techniques:

This pieces that I’m working on, still needs a little work, so you’ll have to wait to see the final product. But in the mean time, I think you know this is the start of something magneficant. Why don’t you get yourself some hand dyed wool, and give this wool applique tutorial a try.

Giveaway Details: 15 Pieces of Hand Dyed Wool

To enter, visit Quilting Acres Shop and leave a comment below telling me what you like best in Erinn’s shop.

For extra, extra, extra entries, you can “like” me on facebook, sign-up for my newsletter, “heart” our Etsy shops and/or publicize this event on twitter, facebbok, and/or your own blog. Tell me about it below, each as an individual comment, to improve your chances of winning.

Today, I bring you a Valentine’s Day Giveaway…

Today, on this special Valentine’s Day, I’m remembering the heart behind where my work started, and all the lovely people in my life who inspire me to create.

Did you know that The Artists’ Houseall started because I wanted to make something special for my daughter? Ironically, the day I “Said Goodbye to our beloved Charely Harper Quilt”was the day I officially became a designer. And now, I’m still here, continuing to make lovely things for both my daughter, and for other people. How lucky am I?

Before I get to the giveaway, I want to start by introducing Megan from Sanourra’s Fabric Love. I’m a fan and a customer of Megan’s fabric shop because her prices are great. Along with that, she has a great variety of vintage fabrics and patterns, along with a great selection of modern designer fabrics. Do you remember the “A Quilt Full of Memories” quilt I made? Yeah, those retro like Moda fabrics came from Megan’s shop. You can follow Megan as @sanourra on Twitter, or visit her Fabric Love Facebook page.

Next, I want to introduce Lena from Needle Craft Patterns. I stumbled across Lena’s Etsy shop while looking for a shoe pattern for Monet. Lena agreed to let me do a review of her patterns, and so me, along with a friend of mine over at Elsa Bags, made a play date for our kiddos, and while the kids played, we used two of Lena’s patterns to make shoes for our little lovelies. Do you want to see what we made?

Aren’t they cute! Lena’s patterns are great, packed full of pictures, and easy to follow. Along with that, Lena has a super cute blog full of sewing ideas and patterns –you can also find her on facebook.

For extra, extra, extra entries, you can “like” any of us on facebook, sign-up for our newsletters, “heart” our Etsy shops and/or publicize this event on twitter, facebbok, and/or your own blog. Tell me about it below, each as an individual comment, to improve your chances of winning.

If you know me, or socialize with me, you know that I say, “I’m a mess!” a lot.

The funny thing is, I’m really not a messy person. Growing up, I was the clean, organized child –in fact I actually have OCD tendencies. Monet and I clean up, oh, about 5-10 times a day. Go ahead, laugh. The reality of the situation is, I can’t help it, I sincerely struggle with anxiety. Before I was a mother, I had time to be organized and clean, but now, well, Monet can make messes faster than I can clean them up –that and I’m also trying to run a creative online business!? Where does this leave me –well, it often leaves me frazzled and unfocused.

Just recently, I have found a product that has really helped me. I have started using it religiously, and as a result, I feel more focused and on-task. The second I start to feel overwhelmed, or lost, I pull out my “Life is Messy” planner, and then after a few minutes of unloading my mind, or checking what it is I should be doing, I’m able to stop, focus, breath, and get back to life.

Anxious or not, these planners are amazing. I love how you can systematically use them to accomplish big goals and tasks, but along with that, they also help with the everyday nitty-gritty.

And because I’m such a fan of this product, I bought an extra “Life is Messy” planner from Mayi over at Heartmade Blog, to giveaway today.

Here’s how the giveaway works:

To enter, click on the button (over there on the left) and leave a comment below telling me what you like best about this product.

For extra entries you can “like” me and Mayi on facebook, sign-up for both of our newsletters, “heart” our Etsy shops and/or publicize this event on twitter, facebbok, and/or your own blog. Tell me about it below, each as an individual comment, to improve your chances of winning.

The lucky winner will be announced on Monday, February 14th. Good luck!

The above images are scans of machine applique blocks I’ve made. Eventually they will be featured in a retro quilt I’m currently making. These images are available as giclee prints in my etsy shop. They can also be purchases as greeting cards. I’m so excited to finish this quilt!

Along with the above images, I’m also finishing two other quilts. Here is the first…

And here is the second…

Don’t you love how the quilted butterflies look?

This quilt comes with matching pillows (made from the leftover scraps from making the quilt top). Both of these quilts will be available in my etsy shop soon, once I finish binding them by hand.

As I prepare for an upcoming art show called Craft Lake City, I’m looking to finalize all these pieces, plus more. Cards need to be printed and stuffed in their nice plastic covers, prints need to be printed and labeled, prices need to be set, patterns need to be finalized, and applique patches need to be made.

I’m still trying to make some decisions and would love to hear from you.

And so I’m hosting a giveaway today.

One winner will win a $20 gift certificate to my etsy shop.

How do you win?

You can enter to win in one of FIVE different ways, or increase your chances of winning by doing all five of the submission choices below.

But, please note that you must enter in a separate comment for each entry submission.

1. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think of my work as I prepare for my upcoming show –offer suggestions, tell me your favorite, ask questions, be critical, give praise, etc. What would you buy if you walked into my booth?

2. “Like Me” on facebook.

3. Make an announcement about this giveaway on your own blog, Facebook page, or Twitter about us. Then post your comment below with the link to the announcement.

4. Join my mailing list.

5. “Heart” my etsy shop

The giveaway closes on Friday, August 6th at noon (mountain time). The winner will be contacted by email.

Seeing double? In a two week time span I have won two ipads. I think I should write a book titled, “How to Win a Free iPad”. Could be a real money maker. The thing is, while I’m good at winning ipads, I have no idea how. Karma?

My husband and I won our first ipad two weeks ago at my school’s auction. The funny thing is, I absolutely had a sense about it, similarly to predicting Monet’s exact birthday. The night of the auction, we had already bought one ticket and were content with that, but in the middle of a conversation I demanded Josh go buy another ticket. I was very insistent, similar to a two year old who might want a cookie. Josh hurried over, scared I might make a scene. And sure enough we won!

Now fast forward exactly two week, to the exact hour, maybe even the exact minute. I was attending the Casual Blogger Conference, here in Salt Lake City. Screamin Couponswas sponsoring the event and donated an ipad to the raffle. It was quite remarkable to look at my ticket, almost in slow motion, as I heard my number read off. I was the winner! Thanks Screamin Coupons!

I can hardly believe it, two ipads in two weeks.

The first ipad we won has become Josh’s new best friend. I’ve barely touched the thing. And the second ipad, well, it still sits all nice and neat in its box. I’m not for sure what exactly to do with it. Should I keep it and use it? Should I sell it?

Hmmm, what do you think?

While I don’t know exactly what to do with the ipad, one thing I know for sure, I think maybe Josh and I should enter more raffles!

At 9 a.m. on Saturday morning, Monet, Josh and I headed out to do a little thrift store shopping. Monet’s birthday is coming up and so Josh and I thought maybe we could get a jump start on finding decorations for her party.

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After deciding on a theme, and finding a few goodies to jump start our party decor, I jumped online to discover that one of my favorite bloggers had a party with this same theme back in 2007.

What theme have we chosen for Monet’s party? And which popular blogger am I referring to?

my mother is the strongest person I know. My father passed away and was ill for many years and I can’t believe she didn’t come out of it without honestly turning a little insane. My mother not only goes out of her way for her family but is willing to find ways to help strangers and mankind as a whole. She is my model for God and I pray that I turn out to be just like her.

I can’t tell you how this is such an awesome giveaway. Thanks so much.

About

The Artists’ House started one happy day when I married a boy who was an artist. I loved to create things and so side-by-side we created beautiful things together. One day I realized that I too was an artist, not just an artist’s wife, and so I started a design business of my own. Now I have two great loves, my family and my art. Read more ...

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